Blogging for Rights, Resources and Results for Women Worldwide

February 24, 2010

Sueños pa’ lante (Dreams going foward)

Internally displaced people face marginalization and discrimination – and the situation is only worse for young pregnant women. This is the story of Sandra and her daughter Tania, who along with their family, arrived in Los Altos de Cazuca running from the violence and war in Colombia. In this country, with the second highest number of internally displaced persons, being a woman and underage increases one’s vulnerability and chance of becoming a victim of human rights violations. Sandra’s story reflects the enormous gaps that exist between social policy and the respect and protection of the basic human rights, where internally displaced persons not only endure the horrific consequences of war but also suffer from the absence of government support and aid.

Sandra not only had to overcome the overwhelming feeling of being displaced and arriving at one of the most marginalized neighborhoods in Bogotá, but also had to find a way to support her family. Her proactive and positive attitude led her to engage in a search for a way to help kids in her neighborhood by making a video proposal so her community could benefit from it. She narrates her story through a video documentary made by students of Taller de Vida, MADRE’s sister organization in Colombia.

She explains:

“There are people here who are fighting for their dreams, that’s what really matters.”

Being forcibly displaced to a neighborhood like Altos de Cazucá can become a traumatizing experience and in many cases expose the most vulnerable populations such as woman, girls and boys to a series of human rights violations and crimes. In many cases there is not only a deprivation of basic needs such as shelter and food, but also access to health, education, among others.